Why You Need To Be An Entrepreneur

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• I like #5 most . If you have already proven that as an individual contributor you can help your team/company then the next step is to go beyond resume building and build a business.

• Joining all dots, seems a good day. I was reading at john chow, got a reply from Jane for my comment, saw your site, and loved ur writeups.
  This happened the best time to bump on ur website as I am starting an advertising company soon, So it happened that I read a lot of articals about Entrepreneur(ship).
  Please keep this blog updated which would enable people like me to grasp knowledge faster.
  Btw noticed that john Anthony writes about Entrepreneurship/startups/managing a company, and Jane writes for working in a company, work culture…
  Thanks nice to see each one doing their share of Job

• You can’t live life in fear, or at least I can’t.
  That’s why I had the guts to quit a comfortable corporate job at one of the largest corporations in Canada (Bell - 125 years old) right after I turned 20 and went independent.

• I agree with everything listed here. Four years ago I “took the leap” and started my own business. I was a supervisor in my previous job but had reached the point where I felt I was just treading water and not accomplishing anything, no matter how hard I tried — to put it simply, I was stuck in the middle between unhappy customers, unhappy employees, and a stubborn, close-minded boss (who happened to be the owner of the company). I left to start my own business in the same industry, and although I’m working longer hours than in my old job, I’m enjoying my work a whole lot more. Starting my own business was the best decision I ever made. Nothing compares with a) having the freedom to try out an idea without having to get approval from “the boss”, and b) knowing that YOU are the one benefitting from the fruits of your labor.

• Wht do you people suggest, Is it a good decision starting a business without working for anyother company initially??
  Does success comes with enough experience only??
  I belive if one can crawl, and fetch a lot of information, and have the creativity in the product/service its enough to start a business.
  pulling out in 2 ways, working for a company initially would either replicate the way of work patterns which i belive is negative
  or
  Finding mistakes in the company work culture, learn and try to use the company’s mistakes as your strength and elight your own setup..

  • I support trying out a position in the large company.
    Learn workplace politics, management techniques etc.
    I have no training past highschool, but I gained a lot of experience from my corporate job, which I got sick of later. But it was a worthy experience to learn how things work on the inside.
    At this point, the closest thing I’d take on to a corporate job is on a contract for their marketing/website consulting, that’s it.

• That’s a great post!… the only problem with being an Entrepreneur is the lack of steady income.. at least at the beginning. If you can be an entrepreneur and keep your day job until a steady flow comes in then your ok.. but then your entrepreneurship suffers.
  Its hard to start something on your own with out the steady money flow. It can become very discouraging and depressing if doing what you love doesn’t allow you to live the live you want to live (financially speaking)

  • I feel this is where people mistake..
    Try to work elsewhere not to risk their financial positions..
    No harm thinking that way, but one should do WHAT EVER IT TAKES.
    starting and running a company, initially would require 100% of your time, just as a newly wed wife.
    Yes its hard to start something without steady money flow, thats the reason an entrepuner dreams, and acts. If it was that easy, 100% of population would be with companies, and none would be working.
    Its enjoying every step, to create one wonderful moment to say YOU CAN

• I understand working in a large company is one point to know the work patterns.
  but As i said, wouldnt i replicate them , and most of my own thinking would be brain washed seeing a much successful company?
  my question is simple..
  Does success comes with enough experience?

  • If you can start with a mature company and then break out on your own, you’ll have a good headstart.
    The key is to pay attention and gather resources when you’re at that company. Get to know the suppliers, the customers, how they lock in a sale, everything. And keep your eye on good people at the company that you might want to hire later when your own business grows.
    That said, if you grow quickly and get on your former company’s radar screen, they could turn around and sue you, depending on the situation and what kind of employment agreement you had with them.
    A business associate of mine did this (yes, he got sued too, but he won). Now he has his own multi-million dollar company and he’s doing very well.

• #1 Reason all Americans need to be entrepreneurs:
  Corporate America is selling out every lower to middle class job to non-U.S. citizens here and abroad. Unless you own a business in the near future you may not have a job. You need to be upper class or you are most likely screwed. Do you really need numbers 2 through 5 if that is #1?
  Actually, it isn’t completely corporate America’s fault. Everytime you buy that Communist Chinese product you are giving away a job of someone who pays taxes to the same country as you (and that money does get distributed to states and counties).
  But hey, it is worth it, $29 DVD player > stable economy anyday, right?

• That was a nice suggestion, but somewhere my instincts say JUST DO IT and start on my own now..
  I dont know if i am going to suceed, pretty confused what top do now.
  lets see, what i decide with

  • There is nothing wrong with going on your own without having previous experience. You might think you would replicate the mistakes of others, but if anything you would most likely learn how NOT to handle particular situations. A tactic you would consider to be bad management is something you will always see as bad management, so it’s unlikely you would unknowingly start replicating those you worked with before.
    Also, if you work for a company rooted in the industry you will have invaluable experience and an added level of credibility when you strike out on your own. You’ll learn how the industry works, how clients/customers behave in that market, the common pitfalls in the industry that you can then use to access the risk of a past idea that may share traits with an idea of yours, and much more. You’ll also meet some people who you could establish a good working relationship with and in the future could come on board to help with the company, etc. You should definitely be mindful of those you’re working with and be discreet about the full scale of your ideas, but don’t also believe that everyone who works there is out to steal your idea or bring you down. Hell, they may be just like you dying to strike out on their own or have an idea they’ll share with you and you could find a great business partner in that person. Once again though, just be sure about who you deal with. There’s no reason to rush into a work relationship with someone.
    But now I’m tired of typing. Hope it helped.
    (Comments wont nest below this level)

• Great post (and comments) - here’s what made me chuckle. the Wikipedia definition says “assumes accountability for the inherent risks. Entrepreneurship is often difficult, as many new ventures fail.”
  How about for being an employee: “assumes accountability for the inherent risks. [Working for someone] is often difficult, as many [employees] fail [to keep their job for 40 years].”
  Aren’t we all entrepreneurs when it comes down to it? :p
  Jason Alba
  CEO - JibberJobber.com